More people are setting out to work while globetrotting.
Photograph: Alamy

Whether they are professionals ditching the corporate rat race or freelancers fancying a different backdrop, more and more people are choosing to be digital nomads. It’s easy to see the appeal – who doesn’t dream of working from a Brazilian beach to the sound of the waves crashing rather than from an office on a grey, industrial estate overlooking a car park? So apart from a laptop, phone – and perhaps a dash of courage – what does it take to achieve this dream? Which countries are easiest for digital nomads to work from? And what are the downsides – do digital nomads risk isolation?

Perhaps you’re one of the rising ranks of freelancers – according to IPSE the number of freelancers in the UK has increased 36% since 2008 – and you’re intrigued about swapping your current lifestyle for the unknown. Or perhaps you’re in an unfulfilled job and want to hit the road with a new business venture.

Either way, if you want to find out more about starting a location-independent lifestyle, join us on Wednesday 2 November from 1–2.30pm GMT for a live chat with our expert panel. We’ll be discussing:

Panel

Jodi Ettenberg is the founder of the food and travel site Legal Nomads and the author of The Food Traveler’s Handbook. Formerly a lawyer, she is now an award-winning writer, photographer, and public speaker, and has been location-independent for the last eight years.

Chris Lorensson is the founder of Nomadic Working – where he shares his 13-years’ experience of working while traveling remotely. Nomadic Working aims to share detailed knowledge of truly remote working as well as inspiration—most recently in the form of their latest book: How I Became a Nomadic Worker.

Ellen Bard is a work psychologist, who has been a digital nomad for four years, and is a speaker and writer on the topic. She’s created her lifestyle to include work with corporate clients across Europe, South East Asia and the Middle East as a consultant; writing fiction, and a popular blog and resources hub, EllenBard.com.

Suzanne Bearne is a freelance journalist, writing for titles including the Guardian, the BBC, The Telegraph and The Big Issue. After a 15-month round-the-world trip following university created a thirst for working and living overseas, she has since clocked up stints in New York, South America and Berlin. A fan of semi-nomadic living, she’s just escaped London for a short spell in the warmer climate of Lisbon.

Johannes Voelkner has been travelling the world as a digital nomad for the past six years. He is also the founder of the Nomad Cruise – a transatlantic cruise for digital nomads. He has met hundreds of nomadic workers, learned from their experience and now shares his own advice.

Sarah Archer is an experienced career coach and co-founder of CareerTree. She specialises in career change, along with work and careers-related advice.

Peter Fabor used to work remotely for a UK-based tech company. Later he moved to the Canary Islands where he started his project Surf Office which now helps companies to organise productive company retreats in Spain and Portugal.

Dan Andrews co-founded two e-commerce stores in 2007, both run by remote teams, while he was traveling. He started documenting his story – and that of others – on the TMBA podcast. Andrews and his business partner, started bringing listeners together in the Dynamite Circle, a community of established globalised small business entrepreneurs.

Jordan Marshall leads on the coordination of IPSE’s policy development. His knowledge of the policymaking process helps deliver the best possible working environment for freelancers throughout the UK.